5 Places to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland

Bust out the green and get ready to celebrate all things Irish--St. Patrick’s Day is upon us! No matter where you choose to celebrate, the weekend will bring with it loads of good craic. You can expect parades and festivals all across the island, but a nice long weekend is the perfect excuse to get a fresh change of scenery, which is exactly why we’ve put together a list of 5 great places to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Armagh, 8-18 March
What better way to celebrate St. Patrick than the place where his Christian mission in Ireland began? The Home of St. Patrick Festival is the spot for history, concerts, and more. Plus, festival-goers can visit site of the first churches he founded.

**Galway, 15-17 March **
Celebrating its 117th year, the Galway St. Patrick’s Parade is not to be missed. The floats and costumes in the Macnas parade will leave you in awe, and if you’ve had enough of the crowds, there’s plenty to do in Galway and the surrounding area.

Kilkenny, 15-18 March
What St. Patrick’s Festival would be complete without music all weekend long? In addition to the parade, the kids will love taking a turn on the carousel at the Vintage Funfair, while you’ll find tasty eats galore at the food market.

Limerick, 15-18 March
The Limerick St. Patrick’s Festival throws a mean celebration, complete with fireworks, trad sessions, and even marching bands. If you weren’t sold on that, there’s a 40-metre Panoramic Wheel along the River Shannon and a really cool art display called Museum of the Moon.

Dublin, 14-18 March
Of course some of the biggest celebrations will take place in the capital. The St. Patrick’s Festival runs all weekend and promises music, poetry, art, and history, among other things. Sure, the streets and pubs will be jammers, but if you can stomach the crowds, it’s worth a trip into city centre for the craic and the views of the buildings and bridges lit up in green. If not, watch the parade weave its way through city centre from your own gaff.